Photo by Zac Willette
We co-founded Final Blessings in 2015 to join with families and loved ones to create a ceremony that is meaningful and reflects the wishes, beliefs, personality, and values of the person who has died, as well as those who are grieving.
We believe that social change around the subject of death will come when we have conversations that include new ways to think about, talk about, and manage death. We seek to be part of a holistic approach in the education and shifting consciousness of the reality of death in our culture.
We share a vision of offering dignified and personalized services for each family. We will have a contract ready for all parties to sign including our responsibilities, mutual expectations, and fees. We will share a copy of our code of ethics with each family.
Final Blessings, LLC, is a limited liability corporation registered in the state of Minnesota.
We believe that social change around the subject of death will come when we have conversations that include new ways to think about, talk about, and manage death. We seek to be part of a holistic approach in the education and shifting consciousness of the reality of death in our culture.
We share a vision of offering dignified and personalized services for each family. We will have a contract ready for all parties to sign including our responsibilities, mutual expectations, and fees. We will share a copy of our code of ethics with each family.
Final Blessings, LLC, is a limited liability corporation registered in the state of Minnesota.
Anne Archbold (she/hers)
|
I have created rituals of all sorts in my family, work life and faith community for many years. For me, ritual offers the chance to be mindful of the important moments in our lives and create space to name and integrate turning points in body, mind and spirit. I would describe my spirituality as earth-centered, embodied, community-based, justice seeking and ever-evolving.
I share life with my partner, Paul and his 89 year Mom. Our two adult children are off working, learning and exploring the world. I love being outdoors - whether walking in our Minneapolis neighborhood or hiking in the wilderness! I enjoy cooking and baking, gathering friends, swimming, reading, gardening, traveling and taking naps in a hammock. I received my Master of Social Work from the University of MN. I am an Independent Social Worker licensed by the state of MN. I have 40 years of experience in community and mental health settings, working individually and in groups with diverse populations. For 10 years, I worked in Brazil as a Lay Missioner with Maryknoll, a Catholic Mission organization. From 2004 to 2014, I served as the Supervisor of the Women’s Therapy Team at Domestic Abuse Project in Minneapolis. Most recently, I’ve been supporting families as they think through, talk about and document their end-of-life and after-death care wishes as part of a national healthcare organization. I am a certified Funeral Celebrant through InSight Institute Celebrant Training. I am an active member of Spirit Catholic Community. In my faith community, I have had the opportunity to accompany families through end of life and funeral planning as well as officiate funeral services. |
Marilaurice Hemlock (she/hers)
|
My dear mother named me after her mother, Mary, and her best friend, Delores. She decided that Mary Delores was too long so shortened it to Mary Lores and then got creative with the spelling! I have grown to love it.
The simplest definition of ritual is “this is what we do.” We had many simple rituals in my family and they all spoke to my soul: calling a blessing before our evening meal, birthday cakes on the same special plate for each of us, oyster stew on Christmas Eve, visiting Grandma and the elderly aunts and uncles most weekends and many more. No one was surprised when my vocation and career led me toward the rituals of liturgy and I treasure the birthday plate that now graces my cupboard. I am fortunate to have earned a Master of Pastoral Studies (Liturgy) from Loyola University of Chicago and have used that knowledge and experience over the past 40+ years to help individuals and families ritualize important life transitions within a variety of religious traditions. More recently I got trained and certified as a Funeral Celebrant through InSight Training. My undergraduate degree is in Music Education-Vocal/Choral and I love to sing and play guitar or piano. My spiritual practice includes some of the rituals of religion and I am an active member of Spirit of St. Stephen’s Catholic Community in south Minneapolis. I use my talents there as a musician, member of the Worship Committee, one of the funeral coordinators, and part of the pastoral care team. I was born in La Crosse, WI on the Mississippi River and love being on, over and near every kind of water. I love prairies and oak savannas, soil, plants, and pollinators and focus that love into exploring natural burial. I read, write, and walk for relaxation, I garden and cook with varied degrees of success, I love the Midtown Farmer's Market in the summer and recently renewed my commitment to ride my bicycle more. |